Obama campaign manager David Plouffe seemed to say Monday that the Illinois senator - who has raised well over $275 million and smashed just about every political fundraising record over the course of his 18-month bid for the White House - might find himself at a disadvantage against a joint effort by the Republican National Committee and John McCain's presidential campaign that told reporters last week it had nearly $100 million cash-on-hand as of June 30.

In an e-mail to potential donors, Plouffe said the Arizona senator has benefited from a beefed up fundraising effort "by collecting huge checks from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs."

"[McCain's] financial position has improved in the last month. The RNC's cash on hand has risen. So now we face a position where McCain and the RNC have $96 million in the bank," Plouffe said in a Web video posted on the campaign's Web site.

"They are using the RNC money, and they are using the McCain money they were able to raise while we were engaged in the primary to really spend a lot of money out there," he added.

"We have to make sure we are matching that. The only way we cand do that is for you all to continue to help us. We can't count on anybody else. We can't wait for a cavalry out there. The cavalry doesn't exist."

As of the end of May, Obama's campaign reported approximately $43 million cash on hand, of which roughly $10 million were general election funds. The campaign has yet to release its second quarter financial information.

The Democratic National Committee is expected to be of little help to the Obama campaign. On the heels of a strategy imposed by DNC chairman Howard Dean that seeks to beef up organization in all 50 states, the committee finds itself with virtually no money in the bank. As of the end of May, the DNC reported only $4 million cash on hand, $50 million less than the RNC had during the same time period.

soundoff(259 Responses)

The Obama people tried to say that republicans were voting for HRC- not true.

The so-called cross over appeal Obama claimed to have- was a hoax. Those were the republicans who tried to bring chaos to the party.

They voted- at Obama's request- for Obama to knock HRC out.

Now Obama and the democrats and the country will have to pay the price for those games to win the nomination.

Obama has NO mandate.

July 14, 2008 04:17 pm at 4:17 pm |

Jean

Democrates we need to focus on electing a president or we will help to elect a Republican, I could think of nothing worse.

I think Hillary Clinton should pay or collect funds for her own campaign debt. Remember she had the early big donors, and she chose to continue after running out of cash.

DO WE WANT 4 MORE YEARS OF REPUBLICAN RULE?????

July 14, 2008 04:18 pm at 4:18 pm |

EMJ

I would give the MSM what money I could if they would just start VETTING John McCain!!!! Look throughout the websites, the TV shows, the newspapers. It's all about challenging Obama and his quest for the presidency. McCain basically gets away with whatever he wants and the MSM just lets him.

Oh, and of course we still have the sore loser Clinton freaks who will vote against their own beliefs just because their candidate did not win.
As Jim Carrey says: La-La-La-Losers!!!

July 14, 2008 04:18 pm at 4:18 pm |

otto Des Moines

OK I just donated as requested.

Go Obama 2008

July 14, 2008 04:19 pm at 4:19 pm |

JT

Forget Hillary,

Worry about winning the election

July 14, 2008 04:19 pm at 4:19 pm |

T.J

Just donated $200, another $100 is on the way. -McCain is "hard on the eyes"!

July 14, 2008 04:19 pm at 4:19 pm |

OBAMA ROCKS!

I am just appalled by the amount of money that ANY of these campaigns have raised...especially in a "recession." Who's making the money off these campaigns? Ad companies, the airlines...is it boosting our economy?

It is not one bit surprising how deep the pockets of the fat-cat Republicans are. Too bad this money can't be used to something more beneficial than to broadcast over our airways the same-ole, same-ole garbage over and over.

These articles about how wealthy the campaigns are are just plain hard to read when so many people are suffering in this Bush-economy! Maybe Bush and his Republican cronies should be paying to get this country out of debt and people back on their feet!

July 14, 2008 04:20 pm at 4:20 pm |

GOD WAS WATCHING

The treachery Obama used in the primary to knock out the best candidate and to get himself installed as the democratic nominee can not and WILL not stand.

Many of us believe in fair campaigns, free elections, and counting the votes.

Even though he is the ONLY democrat, and this is a really important election, we will not bow down to racism, strong-arm tactics, and the politics of hating fellow democrats- JUST to steal the nomination.

I don't care if we democrats DO lose in NOV.

That is the price to pay for fixing the nomination for Obama.

DNC, Dean, Pelosi, Celebrities, Oprah, Media.... take note! The people of America will not permit you to pick our nominee for us. We will not accept such slanted, biased pro-Obama, anti-Hilllary coverage. We will not accept crude jokes and sexism against the female candidate. We will not let you play the race card to win. We will not fall prey to your race-baiting divisive tactics.

July 14, 2008 04:21 pm at 4:21 pm |

mlp

I contributed small amounts three times during the campaign against Clinton. However, I have not been happy with the things he's been doing/saying lately. I was totally unhappy with his vote to give amnesty to the telecommunications companies. THan he tells us that it will be negotiated out of the final bill - huh? Does he think we're stupid? All I look are results.

I will vote for him. He's better than McCain. I don't plan to contribute more money.